Michigan Layoffs — February 2004
Employers in Michigan filed 5 WARN Act notices in February 2004, impacting roughly 544 workers — representing a pullback from January and down 72% versus February 2003. The average filing covered 109 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5 | 544 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 544 workers across 5 notices.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 2 | 265 |
| Hillsdale | 1 | 100 |
| Oakland | 1 | 96 |
| Macomb | 1 | 83 |
Kent bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 49% of all affected workers with 265 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | 1 | 145 |
| Grand Rapids | 1 | 120 |
| Hillsdale | 1 | 100 |
| Southfield | 1 | 96 |
| Warren | 1 | 83 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 316 |
| Layoff | 2 | 228 |
The high proportion of closures (58% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverine World Wide | Rockford | 145 | Layoff | |
| Keeler Die Cast | Grand Rapids | 120 | Closure | |
| Eagle Picher (Hillsdale Tool) | Hillsdale | 100 | Closure | |
| Johnson Diversey | Southfield | 96 | Closure | |
| TI Automotive | Warren | 83 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Wolverine World Wide at its Rockford facility, reporting 145 affected workers. Keeler Die Cast followed with 120 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a easing in workforce disruptions across Michigan, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.